Rotary friction assembly



May 1, 1945. J. Een 2,375,098

ROTARY FRICTION SSEMBLY Filed April As, 1944 s sheets-sheet 2 Flai-2. may

yZmnentor 5 (Ittorneg Mayl, 1945. VJ. GEC'ZY 2,375,098

ROTARY FRICTION AS SEMBLY Filed Aprile, 1944 A s sheets-sheet s i2? Fla- :Snnentor Httrneg l Patented May l,

UNITED STATES lPATENT oFFlcE 2,375,098 ROTARY FRICTION ASSEMBLY Joseph Geczy, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to The te Dental Manufacturing Company, a

corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 8, 1944, Serial No; 530,142

6 Claims. (Cl. 188-80) My invention relates particularly to mechanism embodying means for carrying spools or reels from which strands may be drawn to be fabricated into a flexible shaft. cable, woven fabrics or other fabricated article of manufacture and is particularly directed to the means for rotatably supporting said spools.

In mechanism of the class contemplated, it has been customary to control the tension of strand payout spools or reels by means comprising adjustable spring loading' devices which include sliding friction between suitably supported cork or other friction material and a steeldisk or plate. In such devices, the running and starting friction between the relatively moving parts diii'ers materially and consequently tends to vary the tension on the strands being drawn from said spool or A reel. This variation in tension of the strands is highly detrimental in the fabrication of exible shaft or cable, as such variation is reflected in the finished product.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide means, embodied in the spool or reel supporting structure, arranged to retard the rotation of the strand dispensing spools, and to aii'ord such uniformity of retardation as to insure that the effective tension necessary to withdraw the strand from the spool shall be substantially constant or uniform.

Other objects of my invention are to provide means whereby the ball bearing units which rotatably support the reel mounting may be utilized to effect the required retarding friction between the relatively rotating members and to produce the dsired uniform tension on the strand being withdrawn from the ball bearing supported reel.

My invention includes such'an arrangement of the ball bearing units which rotatably support the reel mounting'that the inner and outer race-rings may be caused to yieldingly bindwith predetermined degrees of pressure to create. in the ball bearing units friction between the balls and their ball race surfaces, `which tends to retard relative rotation of the opposed inner and outer racerings.

My invention comprehends a reel. mounting carried by a single ball bearing unit having a split ball race-ring in which the opposedannular members may be relatively adjusted to `eifect pressure between the inner and outer ball race-rings and the interposed series of balls, and having means arranged to vary the space between the opposed members of said split ball race-ring wherebythe series ot balls are forced to bind against-the relatively opposed cooperating ball race-rings of said uni The form of my invention as hereinafter more specifically described comprises a ball bearing unit or units suitably mounted upon a shaft or arbor with the inner ball race-ring preferably engaged in non-rotatable relation therewith, and having a spool or reel mounting rotatably carried by said unit or units, said reel mounting being conveniently provided with intersecting longitudinal and transverse grooves with which projections on the inner surface of the reel may securely engage. Said reel mounting may preferably be provided with internally disposed screw threads with which an annular screw flange may be engagedfor relative axial adjustment and between which and one of the ball race-rings an annular spring washer is disposed tending to force the inner and outer ball race-rings axially out of their normal plane of alignment, to cause the said ball race-rings to so bind upon the interposed balls and thereby produce friction to retard the relative rotation of the inner and outer ball race-rings.

My invention also includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional View of a rotary friction assembly including a strand carrying spool or reel mounting and showing a spool or reel mounted thereon in position to pay out the strands wound thereon; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the assembly structure illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line '2--2 in said figure; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but embodying a modified form of assembly structure; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal 'sectional view embodying another modification of the assembly structure; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the reel mounting per se; Fig. 6 is a. perspective view of the annular spring washer which is interposed between the axially adjustable screw flange follower and the ball bearing units shown in Fig. 2 to eect pressure tending to produce uniform friction between the opposed ball race-rings and the interposed balls; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the adjusting nut shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the spring washer shown in said Fig. 4.

In said gures, and with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, the shaft or spindle I which is provided with the bore 2 extending therethrough, carries the sleeve 3 upon which two ball bearing units are mounted, one comprising the relatively concentric inner and outer race-rings and 6 respectively and thevinterposed bearing balls' 1, with their attendant spacing ring 8, and the other comprising the inner and outer racerings 9 and I0 respectively and the interposed bearing balls Il, with their attendant spacing ring I2.

The inner race-rings 5 and 9 are maintained relatively spaced apart by the annular spacing washer I3 and are prevented from axial displacement by the collars I5 and I6 which may be suitably keyed to the shaft I as by.the set screws I1 and I8 respectively, or by any other convenient means.

The outer race-ring 6 carries the spool or reel mounting I9, which conveniently serves as a housing for the b'all bearing units, having its annular inturned end flange provided with the circular recess 2I arranged to clear the lateral face of the inner race-ring 5, as best shown in Fig. 2, and having an internally disposed recess 22 in its cylindrical wall 23 arranged to clear the external cylindrical surface of the outer race-ring I0, so as to permit relative axial movement of said race-ring I0 with respect to the race-rings 5, 6 and 9, and the housing or mounting I9 being limited, however, by the bearing Iballs 1 and I I traversing the opposed grooved-ball races in said race-rings.

As shown in Fig. 2, the cylindrical wall 23 of the reel mounting I ,9 isinternally threaded adjacent to its open side providing the screw threads 24 with which the adjustable annular closure ange 25 is threadedly engaged to be adjusted axially by means of a suitalbly provided tool which may engage the slots 25 to effect its rotation.

Said closure flange 25 is provided with a circular pocket 21 in its inner surface arranged to retain the annular spring Washer 29 which is preferably frustro-conoidal in form and which yieldingly bears against the outer ball race-ring III with pressure tending to force said ball racering I0 out of its normal plane of alignment with respect to its complementary cooperative inner ball race-ring 9, thus tending to effect such lateral pressure upon the bearing balls I I as to produce abnormal rolling friction between said balls and the relatively concentric race-rings 9 and I0 respectively.

Obviously, this yielding pressure is directed by the inner race-ring 9 against the inner race-ring 5 throughthe spacing washer I3 to force said race-ring 5 out of its plane of alignment with respect to its complementary cooperative outer race-ring 6 which is engaged in and moves axially with the housing or reel mounting I9, thus tending to effect such lateral pressure upon the balls 1 as to produce abnormal friction between said balls and the relatively concentric race-rings 5 and 6 respectively.

The friction thus produced between the bearing balls and their respectively cooperative racerings may be varied to any predetermined extent by relative axial adjustment by the closure flange 25 and the reel mounting I9, which may be conveniently effected through rotation of said closure ange 25 by means oi' a-suitable ltool such as a spanner wrench engaging the slots 26 which extend radially in the outer face of. said flange 25.

'I'he hub formed by the assembly thus described may be variously employed, as, for instance, the hub of a wheel or other rotatable mechanism. However, in the present instance it conveniently serves as a mounting for a strand carrying spool The ymounting I9 has its peripheral wall provided with a series of transverse slots 30, 3|, 32 and 33, which are intersected by the circumferential slot 35 whose depth so varies as to afford cam surfaces 36, 31, 88, 39, 40, 4I, 42 and 43 respectively having their lowest regions at the intersection of said transverse slots, and their highest regions intermediate of said transverse slots, as shown in Fig. 1.

Said mounting I9 serves as a convenient support for the strand carrying and payout reel 45 whose inner cylindrical wall 46 is provided with the inwardly extending projections 41, 48, 49 and 50 which may be entered into the corresponding transverse slots 30, 3|, 32 and 33, so as torpermit the'reel 45 to be axially slipped over said mounting into proper registry therewith and then rotated with its projections 41, 48,49 and 50 guided by the circumferential slot 35 until said projections engage the cam (surfaces that may be encountered, whch, as shown in Fig. 1 are the cam surfaces 39, 38, 40 and 42, whereby said reel may be rigidly held on the hub or mounting but readily withdrawn and replaced.

In the modied form of lmy invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the shaft or spindle 5I, which is provided with the bore 52 extending therethrough. carries the ball bearing unit comprising the inner ball race-ring 55 and the relatively concentric axially spaced outer race-rings 56 and 51, the interposed bearing balls 6I and their attendant spacing ring 62.

The inner ball race-ring 55 has the V-shaped groove race 63 opposed to the V-shaped race 64 formed by adjacent chamfered inner edges of the ball race-rings 59 and 51, and said inner racering 55 is maintained rigid with the shaft 5I by the collars 65 and 66 which may be suitably keyed to the shaft 5I as by the set screws 61 and 68 respectively, or by other suitablemeans.

The outer race-ring56 carries the spool or reel mounting 69 which conveniently serves as a housing for the ball bearing unit, having its annular inturned end flange 19 provided with the circular recess 1I arranged to clear the lateral face of the inner race-ring 55, and having an internally disposed recess 12 in its cylindrical wall 13 arranged to clear the external cylindrical surface of the outer race-ring 51 so as to permit relative axial movement of said race-ring 51 with respect to the race-rings 55 and 56 and the housing or mounting 59, being limited however by the bearing balls 6| traversing the opposed ball races in said race-rings.

The cylindrical wall 13 of the reel mounting 69 is internally threaded adjacent'l to its open or free side providing the screw threads 14 With which the adjustable annular closure flange 15 is threadedly engaged to be axially adjusted by means of a suitably provided tool which may engage the slots 16 in the outer face of said closure flange 15 to effect its rotation.

The closure flange 15 is provided with a circular pocket 11 in its inner surface arranged to retain the annular spring washer 19 which is preferably frustro-conoidal in form and which yieldingly bears against the ball race-ring 51 with pressure tending to force said race-ring 51 out of its normal plane of-alignment with respect to its complementary cooperative inner ball race-ring 55, thus tending to eifect such lateral pressure upon the bearing balls 6I as to produce abnormal rolling friction between said balls 6I and the rel;-

tively concentric race-rings 55, 56 and 51 respectively.

s in the assembly structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the friction produced between the bearing balls and their race-rings in this assembly in set forth as it is `obvious that Vtai-ions meemaations may be made therein without departins from the essential features of my invention as structure may be varied by the axial adjustment y may be suitably keyed to said shaftBI to rotate therewith and upon which two ball bearing units are mounted. one comprising the relatively concentric inner and outer ball race-rings 86 and 88 respectively and the interposed bearing balls 81 with their attendant spacing ring 88; and the other comprising the inner and outer race-rings 89 and 90 respectively and the interposed bearing balls 9|, with their attendant spacing ring 92.

The outer ball race-rings 86 and 80 are maintained relatively spaced apart by the annular spacing washer y93, and said outer race-ring 86 carries the spool or reel mounting 95 which has its inturned flange 96 provided with the circular recess 9'! arranged to clear the lateral face of the inner race-ring 89 and which also has the annular removable and replaceable Closure cap 98 threadedly engaged with the free end ofthe cylindrical wall of said reel mounting 95 by the' screw threads 0| and serving to retain the ball bearing units in the housing thus provided, and

with the outer race-ring flange 98.

The innernrace-ring 85 which is cooperative with the outer race-ring 86 to support'the reel mounting 95, is rigidly carriedby the collar 83 and pocketed against the flange |02 thereof. The

collar 88 is provided with the circumferential recess M83 serving to clear the inner race-ring 88 and to thereby permit its relative axial/movement.

Said collar 83 is further recessed adjacent to its unflanged end region |05 and provided With the external screw threads |06 with which the ball bearing friction adjusting nut |01 is threadedly engaged, and said nut |01 may preferably be provided with the annular projection |09 which bears upon the annular spring washer ||0 whose outer peripheral region bears against the lateral face of the inner race-ring 89 and tends to yieldingly force said inner race-ring 89 toward the inner race-ring 85 and out of its normal plane of alignment with its cooperative outer race-ring 80.

Obviously, any inward adjustment of the nut lill and consequent relative movement of the inner race-ring 89 and its cooperative outer racering 88 tends to frictionally bind the bearing balls 8l therebetween, which effects pressure through the spacing Washer 93 tending to'force the outer race-ring 86 out of its normal alignment with respect to its cooperative inner race-ring 85 and thereby cause said race-rings 85 and 86 to fricvtionally bind upon the bearing balls 81 and to pocketed against the defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A ball bearing assemblage adapted to be mounted on a shaft and comprising a relatively rotatable housing, a ball bearing unit having its inner race-ring engaged .with said shaft and its outer race-ring engaged in said housing, a ball bearing unit spaced from said first mentioned ball bearing unit and having its inner racering engaged with saldshaft and having its outer race-ring iloatingly spaced from the peripheral wall of said housing, and means adjustable to force the floating race-ring out of its normal registry with respect to its cooperative inner race ring, and thereby tending to cause the companion inner and outer race-rings to bind on the series of interposed spacing` balls, whereby to retard the relative rotation of said shaftV and housing.

2. A ball bearing assemblage adapted to be mounted on a shaft and comprising a relatively rotatable housing, a ball bearing unit having its inner race-ring engaged with said shaft and its outer race-ring engaged in said housing, a ball bearing unit spaced from said first mentioned ball bearing unit and having its inner race-ring engaged with said shaft and having its outer race-ring floatingly spaced from the peripheral wall of said housing, means adjustable to force the floating race-ring out ofits normal registry with respect to its cooperative inner race-ring, and thereby tending to cause the companion inner and outer race-rings to bind on the series of interposed spacing balls, whereby-to retard the relative rotation of said shaft and housingand a strand carrying reel removablyy and replaceably engaged with said housing and carried thereby.

3. A ball bearing assembly adapted to be mounted on a shaft and comprising relatively spaced ball bearing units each having its inner race-ring engaged/on said shaft, a mounting embracing said units and rigidly secured to the outer race-ring'of one of said units but free from the other unit, and means axially adjust- `able on saidv mounting arranged to axially force the inner and. outer race-rings out of 'normal 'relative registry.

adjustable follower threadedly engaged with Y said mounting arranged to axially force the inner and. outer race-rings out of their normal registry, and yielding means interposed between the free outer'race-ring and said follower.

5. A ball bearing assembly comprising a shaft having relatively spaced ball bearing units each having its inner race-ring encircling said shaft, a spacer interposed between one of the racerings of each of the respective units, a mounting rotatably carried by said units and having transverse and circumferential depressions in its peripheralv surface varying in depth between said transverse depressions, means adjustable to force the race-rings of the respective units axially out of their normal alignment, and a reel detachably carried by said mounting and having projections having its inner race-ring encirclin'gsaid collar but circumferentially spaced therefrom, an adjusting nut in" threaded engagement with said collar arranged for relative axial movement with respect thereto, and a yielding washer interposed between said nut and the second mentioned inner race-ring tending to yieldingly force said inner race rings toward each other and out of their normal axial plane of alignment with their 10 respective cooperative outer race rings.

JOSEPH GECZY. 

